Tiemoue Bakayoko was targeted with racist abuse by Lazio fans last night as his AC Milan side lost in the Coppa Italia

Ahead of the game, a group of around 50 Lazio ultras held up a banner that read "Honour to Benito Mussolini" - the former fascist Italian dictator - in Milan and made fascist salutes as tensions built before the game.

And songs of "this banana is for Bakayoko" were then reportedly heard both in the city and in the stadium before kick-off.

Lazio supporters were angry with Bakayoko and his AC Milan team-mate Franck Kessie after they paraded Francesco Acerbi's shirt like a trophy earlier this month.

The pair were jeered and whistled throughout last night's semi-final .

According to Football Italia, Lazio supporters smuggled a number of inflatable bananas into the San Siro.

The chanting aimed at Bakayako then continued throughout the warm-up, during the match and then in the streets after full-time.

AC Milan's stadium announcer read out a message warning fans that the game would be suspended if the racist chanting continued - but the group of Lazio supporters responding with yet more disgusting songs.

Football Italia updated followers on Twitter throughout the evening and wrote: "Lazio fans are continuing to chant racist abuse towards Tiemoue Bakayoko outside the gates of San Siro."

SS Lazio clearly distance ourselves from behaviour and manifestations that do not in any way correspond to the values of sport.

Lazio statement

They added: "The tension is escalating ahead of the Coppa Italia semi-final against AC Milan, as Lazio ultras are already aiming racist chants at Tiemoue Bakayoko.

"Speaker reads out message warning game will be suspended if racist chants continue. Lazio ultras respond by chanting about bananas.

"Italian rules state the referee cannot stop play for racist abuse. Only the person in charge of public safety and security can do that. Their main priority is preventing a riot, so very unlikely to stop play."

And as suggested, the game was not halted - and Joaquin Correa's goal secured a 1-0 aggregate win to put Lazio into their fourth final in seven years.

Lazio released a statement last night that said: "SS Lazio clearly distance ourselves from behaviour and manifestations that do not in any way correspond to the values of sport that this club has promoted and supported for 119 years.

"Lazio also reject and contest the simplistic tendency of the media to consider the entire Lazio fanbase responsible for the actions of a few isolated elements, for motivation that has nothing to do with passion for sport.

"The club has always fought for the respect of law and fairness in behaviour."

'STOP PRETENDING'

An AC Milan supporters account on Twitter uploaded a video of Lazio fans after the game and called on the Italian FA to take action.

@TheMilanBible wrote: "Lazio fans even after the game are chanting racist chants aimed towards Bakayoko: 'This banana is for you Bakayoko.'

"They chanted this before the game, during the game and now after the game. Stop pretending like you can't hear this, @FIGC."

It is understood 19 Lazio fans and three Inter Milan supporters were identified and stopped by police over the Mussolini banner.

On April 2, Juventus forward Moise Kean was targeted with racist abuse by Cagliari fans during the Serie A clash.

His team-mate Leonardo Bonucci incredibly claimed the teenager was "50-50 to blame" for the abuse following his celebration but Kean was backed by the likes of Raheem Sterling and many others.

And Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was abused during their game against Inter Milan in December.

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